Army helicopters fly from Navy ships, test joint ops

[chopper2004]

Army helicopters fly from Navy ships, test joint ops | Army Times | armytimes.com (http://www.armytimes.com/article/20130905/NEWS/309050004)

[RotaryWingB2]

We did that 8 years ago. Worked pretty well, but the food was awful.

[DSquadron]

We Certainly did, In conjunction with our carrot chomping pals down the road,

Thing is An apache is a dry build aircraft, After ten years in the Desert they're fretting themselves to pieces, and I can only guess after prolonged use on board with all that salt water around it wont take long till they a lump of fizzing white powder!

Until, "for Embarked ops Soak Airframe in PX24 every five minutes until RTB"

[DSquadron]

Hang on, "forward staging base Ponce"

oh dear,

Two nations divided by a common language.

[Bravo73]

Thing is An apache is a dry build aircraft, After ten years in the Desert they're fretting themselves to pieces, and I can only guess after prolonged use on board with all that salt water around it wont take long till they a lump of fizzing white powder!

Not only that but... does an Apache (UK or US version) have floats???

[RotaryWingB2]

No floats. Not on the Brit ones anyway.

All British Apaches that went seaside were given a special anti-corrosion treatment on quite a lot of the components, some of it fairly robust. But as DSqn says, they are dry assembled and will no doubt suffer at some point.

[chopper2004]

WHich brings me to a point, anyone remember this proposal :) in the 80s?

McDonnell Douglas AH-64 "Sea Apache" helicopter - development history, photos, technical data (http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/mcdonnell_sea_apache.php)

[Thomas coupling]

Not only no floats but no jettisonable doors either. Not that a pongo would know what do do with a brightly striped knob:eek:

[DSquadron]

HMMMMmm I gotta say I would doubt that the aircraft could take off with both a harpoon AND a sidewinder on each wing. nine-mikes are heavy enough on their own. let alone stick another BIGGER missile on there with them, bit un-needed to be fair, AH worked ok on Ocean, no real need to modify the aircraft, just procedures.

The wheels certainly dont need moving to the Wing tips, you would severly comprimise the crash survivability of the platform.

And Why get rid of the M230?

looks cool tho,
in fact all three types look cool.

Almost cool enough just to use the coolness of them as an argument for their inception.

In Fact Ive convinced myself bring 'em on I'll take all three!

[DSquadron]

The doors aren't jettisonable but they are fitted with MDC (Miniature Detonating Cord) or an LCC (Liniar Cutting Charge) wichever you want to call it! but as we found out in 04, initiating of the MDC under water causes such a pressure wave that it would knock the poor Air Pongo out leaving him to breathe in water for the rest of his days, (wich wouldn't be very long) so a question was asked to the Septics over the pond, "use a knife" was the answer, so they do.

[SASless]

Since when does an Attack Helicopter ever had floats?

The USMC has been flying Cobras off Ships for as long as the Cobra has been around it seems....and never any floats.

Sometimes you pay your money....you takes yer chances!

Name one USMC or USN helicopter that does have Emergency Flotation?

[misterbonkers]

Floats? Crickey, they'll need an AOC too soon. :ugh:

[handysnaks]

Not that a pongo would know what do do with a brightly striped knob Return him to the wardroom where he belongs!

[MightyGem]

What is meant by "dry assembled"?

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If you want to marinise an aircraft you have to do it during the build process so that all the internal surfaces are protected from corrosion - just spraying it with waxoyl after it is complete just doesn't do the job.

Have a look at your average outboard motor - dissimilar metals in a saline solution corrode very quickly, hence the use of sacrificial anodes.

[RotaryWingB2]

what is meant by "dry assembled"?

MG, more simply than crab wrote, it means there is no jointing compound (or other corrosion inhibiter) between the connecting panels. Fine in the Arizona desert, not so good in the Irish Sea.

If you want a more in depth explanation, pop across two hangars and ask the chaps who keep your AC flying. ;)

[Huey Driver]

Back in 79 or 80 the 82nd decided to "test" the "joint ops" and we had the interesting experience of trying to land our UH-1Hs aboard some small boat the Navy tried to call a ship. I just remember that we had to learn to plant them on the deck. Great memories, thanks for reminding me of them.

[JohnDixson]

Can only speak to SA models, SAS:

SH-3 series all had boat hulls and were tested for emergency water operations. ( in fact, sometime right after I joined SA, SH-3 test pilot Cliff Brown had a tail rotor buzz problem in a sonar hover, plunked one into LI Sound and taxied back to The docks at Bridgeport. In fact Cliff had a sort of history re " water integrity ", having to do with a rescue in North Korea, a downed pilot racing from the tree line toward his S-51, bad guys chasing him, but Cliff getting out to pee, so as not to soil his new and warm ( native Floridian ) winter flying suit. It's a longer story and somewhat famous in the USAF ).

CH-53A was tested for emergency water operation and in fact during early production testing, every third or fifth machine went for a 10 minute drive in the Housatonic River.

USCG HH-3F were tested for emergency water operation ( even though the parent model, the USAF H-3 series was FAA certified as amphibious, and thus each and every production machine was water tested in the river).

SH-60 models have floats.